Gypsophila plant named ‘Esm G027’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gypsophila  plant named ‘Esm G027’, characterized by its erect, straight and strong flowering stems; uniform and freely flowering habit; compact and dense inflorescences with large double luminous white-colored flowers; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Gypsophila paniculata×Gypsophila porrigens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ESM G027’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gypsophila plant, botanically known as Gypsophila paniculata×Gypsophila porrigens, grown commercially as a cut flower, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Esm G027’.

The new Gypsophila plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador. The objective of the breeding program is to create new productive and uniform Gypsophila plants with numerous large double flowers and good postproduction longevity.

The new Gypsophila plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador in April, 2007 of a proprietary selection of Gypsophila paniculata identified as Line 308, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Gypsophila porrigens identified as Line 31, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gypsophila plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador in May, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gypsophila plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador since September, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Gypsophila plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gypsophila have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Esm G027’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Esm G027’ as a new and distinct Gypsophila plant:

-   -   1. Erect, straight and strong flowering stems.     -   2. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   3. Compact and dense inflorescences with large double luminous         white-colored flowers.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila had larger flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Flower form of plants of the new Gypsophila was double         whereas flower form of plants of the female parent selection was         semi-double.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila had denser inflorescences than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila had larger flowers than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Gypsophila had more petals than         flowers of plants of the male parent selection.     -   4. Flower color of plants of the new Gypsophila was more         luminous than flower color of plants of the male parent         selection.

Plants of the new Gypsophila can also be compared to plants of the Gypsophila ‘Esmamerica’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,940. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of ‘Esmamerica’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila were taller and broader than         plants of ‘Esmamerica’.     -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila had shorter and broader leaves         than plants of ‘Esmamerica’.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Gypsophila were larger         and denser than inflorescences of plants of ‘Esmamerica’.     -   4. Plants of the new Gypsophila were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Esmamerica’.     -   5. Plants of new Gypsophila had larger flowers with more petals         per flower than plants of ‘Esmamerica’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Gypsophila plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gypsophila plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Esm G027’ (upper left); close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Esm G027’ (upper right); close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Esm G027’ (lower left); and close-up view of upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of ‘Esm G027’ (lower right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador and under cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial cut Gypsophila production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 11° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 11° C. Plants were pinched one time five weeks after planting and five weeks after pinching, plants were grown under long day/short day conditions. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical 87-week old flowering plants. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fourth Edition, 2001, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gypsophila paniculata×Gypsophila porrigens     ‘Esm G027’. -   Commercial classification: Cut flower Gypsophila. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gypsophila             paniculata identified as Line 308, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gypsophila             porrigens identified as Line 31, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 to 21 days at             17° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five to             six weeks at 17° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Medium to thin in thickness, fibrous;             close to N199C in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; sparse. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial cut flower; erect and strong flowering             stems; inverted triangle form; uniform and freely flowering             habit; large double luminous white-colored flowers; vigorous             growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—When pinched, about 18 flowering stems             develop per year.         -   Plant height.—About 124 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 56 cm.         -   Flowering stems.—Length: About 119 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm             to 6 mm. Internode length: About 5.5 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; waxy.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             139A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Between 147A and             139A; venation, between 147A and 139A. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to             146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Symmetrical and uniform             compound cymes with numerous luminous white-colored flowers,             flowers rotate and double; freely flowering habit, about             1,951 flowers per inflorescence; flowers face mostly             upright.         -   Flowering response.—In Ecuador, plants flower year round;             early flowering habit; plants begin flowering about 16 weeks             after planting.         -   Post-production longevity.—As a cut flower, flowers last for             about twelve days; on the plant, flowers last for about 21             to 23 days; flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; pleasant.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 89 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 71 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 7 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Nearly globose. Color: Close to 147A and 145C.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About 63 fused at the base in             clusters. Length: About 6.1 mm. Width: About 2.3 mm. Shape:             Oval to spatulate. Apex: Truncate, emarginate or obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; waxy. Color: When opening and fully opening, upper             surface: Close to 155C; towards the base, close to 145D;             color becoming closer to 158B with development. When opening             and fully opening, lower surface: Close to 155C; towards the             base, close to 145D; color becoming closer to 158B with             development.         -   Petaloids (transformed stamens).—Quantity per flower: About             two at the center of the flower. Length: About 6 mm. Width:             About 1 mm. Shape: Spatulate or lanceolate. Apex: Truncate,             emarginate or obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and             fully opening, upper surface: Close to 155C. When opening             and fully opening, lower surface: Close to 155C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About five fused to form a             cupped star-shaped calyx. Length: About 3.3 mm. Width: About             1.8 mm. Shape: Roughly lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, rough,             membranous. Color: When developing, upper surface: Close to             147A and 187B. When developing, lower surface: Close to 147A             and N186C. Fully developed, upper surface: Close to 137A and             155C. Fully developed, lower surface: Close to 146A and             155C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to             6 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: About 43° from vertical.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 9.8 mm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 48° from vertical. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Between 146A and 147A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About             eight. Anther shape: Reniform to globose. Anther length:             About 0.1 mm. Anther color: Close to 160C. Pollen amount:             one observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 6 mm. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color:             Close to 155C. Stigma shape: Curved apiculate. Stigma color:             Close to 155C. Ovary color: Close to 144B; towards the apex,             close to 200B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit production             has not been observed on plants of the new Gypsophila. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Gypsophila have been     observed to be somewhat tolerant to Alternaria and leaf miners.     Plants of the new Gypsophila have not been shown to be resistant to     other pathogens and pests common to Gypsophila plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Gypsophila have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gypsophila plant named ‘Esm G027’ as illustrated and described. 